Shvat: Filling the Bucket

The spiritual significance of the month of Shvat.

The astral sign (mazal) of Shvat (or Shevat), the fifth month of the Hebrew year, is the bucket, corresponding to the sign of Aquarius. A bucket is just an ordinary container made to hold water, but in Judaism water has enormous spiritual symbolism. Along with earth, air and fire, it is one of "the four elements." Let us look at them one by one.

Fire: A flame rises by its nature. It can be used either creatively or destructively. Similarly, passion was created to inspire us to rise upward towards our source, but when corrupted, the yearning for goodness turns to fury, which consumes and destroys everything it touches.

Earth: By nature it is stable. Its resilience and permanence is the spiritual source of humility and tolerance, but when corrupted it translates into passivity at best, and despair at worst.

Air: It is in constant motion. It provides us with life giving oxygen. We tend to associate life with movement. In its highest state it symbolizes the kind of inner tension that keeps us moving beyond the living death of complacency. In its negative state it keeps us moving so fast that we never commit to anything or anyone.

Water: It too gives life. In fact the Hebrew word for physical is "gashmi" which literally means "rainy." By its nature it flows downward. Because of these two factors, the Torah is considered the spiritual parallel to water. It gives us life in the most basic sense. It is from its teachings that basic moral concepts (integrity, self-transcendence, justice,) have become the mainstay of the world's moral lexicon.

The mission of the Jewish people is to serve as a spiritual bucket, pouring out spiritual "water" by making the Torah's teaching accessible to the entire world.

In nature, water is inaccessible unless we have the means of getting it to where it is needed. Today we have reservoirs and elaborate irrigation and plumbing systems. When we peel away the layers of technology that we have grown accustomed to, we see that the most basic means of making water accessible is a bucket.

The mission of the Jewish people is to serve as a spiritual bucket, pouring out spiritual "water" by making the Torah's teaching accessible to the entire world -- through the example we set and the concepts we teach. In order to do this, we have to constantly refill ourselves with the Torah's life force, and articulate it as we go about living our lives.

SHVAT'S HISTORY

The first of Shvat is the day that Moses began to elucidate the Torah he had taught the Jews in the desert. Moses was a living bucket pouring forth wisdom that will keep us going forever.

We are arguably the only people who have heroes who are teachers, rather than conquerors or fighters. From Moses to Rabbi Akiva, who taught Torah publicly during the Roman occupation at the risk of his life, to contemporary Torah sages who put in 18-hour days when they are deep in their eighties or even older, we have always idealized people who appreciate the Torah's waters enough to dedicate significant parts of their lives to being the human equivalent of a bucket.

They are not always famous. My octogenarian neighbor is a heroine in the ongoing narrative of our history. Leah Horowitz came to the United States just after World War I. She attended public school, miraculously emerging with a sense of pride in her identity at a time when most American Jews would do anything to be more American and less Jewish. When she married and began life in Canarsie, south Brooklyn, her home was kosher and Shabbos was kept without compromise. But it still wasn't enough. Her bucket was empty and she knew it.

Her turning point was the day her husband, Zelig, came home and told her that there was a fundraising appeal in shul. A visiting rabbi told the congregation that the time had come to build a yeshiva in Brooklyn (at that time the only full day Jewish schools were in Manhattan). Their children needed Torah as much as they needed food and clothing. The young couple sat together in their tiny kitchen. They calculated how much they could take out of his $40 salary and still remain solvent. The most that they could give was $5.00.

She looked at her husband's face as he put the lone bill in an envelope to give the Yeshiva's representative when he would return next month. She had never seen him defeated before. Not when their neighbors moved on to more spacious homes in the suburbs, and not when he faced friends who found jobs that paid more but required coming in on Saturday.

She got to work. She put up hand printed signs wherever Jewish women congregated: "Gala Melave Malka. Entertainment, Food and Drinks Galore. A Good Time for One and All" followed by her name and address. Her sisters-in-law contributed their favorite dishes and her friend Blanche sang to the accompaniment of the living room player piano. Leah borrowed folding chairs from her non-Jewish neighbors.

The evening's take was close to $50. Two nights later, Zelig brought the cash to the Yeshivah's representative. It was a moment that had great meaning for both men. For Zelig, it was living proof that he could be part of something greater than himself. For the fundraiser it was the beginning of the realization of a dream in which Torah would not be suffocated in the New World.

The rabbi told Zelig, "Your money will pay the first salary of the Yeshivah's spiritual supervisor. We have our eye on a young man of great promise, Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg."

In the course of the next 50 years, Rabbi Scheinberg has emerged as one of the generation's great scholars, halachic experts, and spiritual leaders.

TU B'SHVAT

The 15th of Shvat (Tu B'Shvat) is referred to in the Mishna as the new year of the trees. It does not have the status of a holiday; it is a day that Jews celebrate by way of custom. A Jewish custom comes from a very special place, the Jewish soul. In a certain sense, it is our art form.

The observance of the day is just eating fruit. If at all possible, the fruits should include the seven species for which the Land of Israel is praised: wheat, barely, figs, pomegranates, grapes, olives and date-honey. Add as many other fruits as you can (using dry fruits to make eating more varieties possible) with the aim of reaching a total of 15 fruits in all.

In the 16th century, the great Kabbalist, the Arizal, and his disciples created a short "seder" that explores the inner meaning of the day. To catch a glance at the kabbalist side of Tu B'Shvat we must look at three of its motifs: trees, fruit, and the significance of the day of the month that the "new year" comes out on.

"A man is as a tree of the field," the Torah tells us when commanding the Jews not to cut down fruit trees. In what sense is a human comparable to a tree? Like a tree, our roots are the source of our continued life. When a human cuts himself off from his roots, which for a Jew would be the Torah and its commandments, there is an inevitable consequence. As much as he may want connection, he has lost the knowledge of how to make an enduring connection to our Source. Every mitzvah that we do revives the hidden yearning for spiritual life that always lies dormant within us.

The Mishna tells us that this is the day that the sap begins to rise. It is a day of renaissance and hope.

The message of the fruits -- which add flavor, variety, fragrance and color to our lives -- is that the journey itself is meant to be joyous.

While two of the species (wheat and barley) provide necessary basics in our diet, fruits were given to us for sheer pleasure. Wheat and barley, which are basic staples, are compared to Jewish law, "halachah" in Hebrew, which literally means "the way we walk." Humans have a sense of destiny, and the directives of Jewish law tell us which roads won't take us to where we want to go and which roads will.

The message of the fruits -- which are not staples but add flavor, variety, fragrance and color to our lives -- is that the journey itself is meant to be joyous. Moving forward, getting beyond routine and habitual observance, gives us enormous pleasure. When we respond to the myriad choices that we see in front of us every day with awareness and consistently choose life in the highest sense, we find ourselves discovering different "flavors" from the sweetness of giving to the piquant pleasure of self-discipline. When we serve God with this kind of joy and awareness, we are so to speak "eating the fruits" that He planted for us.

Tu B'Shvat takes place in the middle of the month when the moon is at its fullest. It symbolizes wholeness, unity between the divine Giver and the earthly recipient.

May it be a day of wonder and renewal for us all. May we draw on its power and let it fill us so much that we can't help but pour it out, so that our waters nurture everyone who is walking the path along with us.

About the Author

Consummate educator and internationally acclaimed speaker, Rebbetzin Tzipora Heller has been a full-time lecturer at Neve Yerushalayim College in Jerusalem since 1980, impacting the lives of thousands of women worldwide. She is the author of six popular books, including Here You Are, Battle Plans, and This Way Up. She recently launched a daily video program based on the timeless Jewish wisdom of "Duties of the Heart." Learn how to channel your emotions to experience every day with purpose, meaning, and joy at: dutiesoftheheart.com

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 9

(9)
simcha becker,
January 13, 2014 4:10 PM

Thank you for such a wholesome article - Tu Be'shvat is so spiritually alive!

(8)
Bracha,
January 7, 2014 5:17 AM

This is so inspiring

This article is amazing, thank you so much. I never heard anything so deep or inspiring about Tu B'shvat. I loved the story about your incredible neighbor. Also, I am a water element so I especially appreciated the part about the water, and it was so beautifully written. :)

(7)
Leah,
January 25, 2012 1:54 AM

One could say a very famous pasage about Leah Horowitz: "I have tried, therefore I have succeeded."

(6)
ruth housman,
January 24, 2012 2:28 PM

A word about the author's first name: beautiful and relevant

I hear, in your first name, SIP and POUR, in English as I do deeply listen to the aural connects across all languages, and so how beautiful that you would be writing about what waters us all, and what reigns for us all, as in a story, about trees, the trees of life, and how we are all surely, dancers, and I hear within your words too, an echoic significance that goes back to our shema, that all is ONE.
Thank you again. I was deeply moved by your wonderful words.

(5)
ruth housman,
January 24, 2012 2:26 PM

to fill the bucket: the Water Carrier

Thank you for a beautiful piece of writing, about a sacred holiday, about trees, as to see this deeply surely we are all branches from the tree of life. I have gone out on a limb, constantly, in writing, everywhere, about words themselves, and how we can use them, for good, and for bad, and how important it is to choose the positive in this reach, towards what is going to change the world. Small change adds up, and goodness, wherever it is gifted, is a gift that blesses both receiver and petitioner. We are in Aquarius. There was music about this a long time ago, and surely it all does deeply connect. To study Jewish mysticism is to see this, an all encompassing beauty of connectivity, wherever one looks.. Mayim: Water. We who are thirsty are often so thirsty for knowledge itself, and to share that knowledge, is surely to Share the Road. All signs on the road we travel are relevant to our own lives. Paper comes from trees, and so we write, our parchment being also the Tree of Life, and the leaves that fall, are also for leaves of books, and for what departs, as in Fall all goes under. The seasons of our lives are also deeply metaphoric. The burning bush. Autumn. I see it. I see the great awesome poetry of this.
Thank you for a beautiful piece of writing about the great VAT, that holds water, and how we nourish each other, because we cannot live, without MAYIM, in all its iterations. As this is deeply a journey of soul.

(4)
Anonymous,
January 5, 2011 2:18 PM

A wonderful article about a bountiful day to celebrate. As I learn more and more, there is usually some celebration of something special most of the time. The glorifying of Hashem through these days and celebrations brings me closer to where and what I want to be. Thank you so much and thank Hashem for Mrs. Leah Horowitz who, no matter what, was able to give in abundance to help create a new yeshiva for the children. Wonderful! Brura

(3)
Anonymous,
December 9, 2010 2:43 PM

Beautiful!

What a great article. I especially loved that story about your neighbor's melava malka! Very inspiring!

(2)
Batsheva,
January 27, 2009 10:50 AM

Moved by Leah Horowitz's story

I found Leah Horowitz's story very inspiring. So often we feel that our individual contribution isn't sufficient. Mrs. Horowitz realized early on that it takes many drops in the bucket, until the bucket ends up filled. We can all learn from her. Viva the parlor meeting!

(1)
Jeffrey Wallach, LCSW-R,
January 29, 2006 12:00 AM

Thank you for the story about Mrs. Leah Horowitz.

I enjoyed the story within the story about Mrs. Leah Horowitz. You mentioned that she lived in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn. I grew up there and remember it as a vibrant Jewish neighborhood. It is no longer so as most of the Jewish community moved away. Many people I speak to never knew how it once was. Thank you for reminding me,and telling others that dedicated, generous, humble, observant Jews once lived there. A few still do, but not nearly as muchg as before. I would like to hear more about her if you have any information.

My Christian friends are always speaking about “faith.” To me this sounds a lot like blind faith. Is that really the essence of religion?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

I'm afraid that this is another case of a Christian concept being mis-associated with Judaism.

Let's first define our terms. What is faith?

Webster defines faith as "Belief without proof."

What is knowledge? "An acquaintance with truth, facts or principles through study or investigation."

Faith is usually a product of desire. Have you ever gotten a tip on the market that guarantees you're going to triple your money in a month? A lot of smart people have gotten fleeced because they ignored the evidence and went with their feelings.

Knowledge, on the other hand, is based on evidence. We know there's a place called China because we have too many products in our house saying "made in China." There's a lot of evidence for the existence of China, even though most of us have never been there.

Judaism unequivocally comes down on the side of knowledge, not faith. In Deuteronomy 4:39, the Torah says: "You shall know this day, and understand it well in your heart, that the Almighty is God; in the heaven above and the earth below, there is none other." (This verse is also contained in the prayer, "Aleynu.")

This verse tells us that it is not enough to simply know in your head, intellectually, that God is the Controller of everything. You must know it in your heart! This knowledge is much more profound than an intellectual knowledge. God gave us a brain because he wants us to think rationally about the world, our role in it, and our relationship with God.

A conviction based on desire or feelings alone has no place in Judaism. The Hebrew word "emunah," which is often translated as faith, does not describe a conviction based on feelings or desire. It describes a conviction that is based on evidence.

Once this knowledge is internalized, it effects how a person lives. A person with this knowledge could transform every breathing moment into a mitzvah, for he would do everything for the sake of the heaven. But this is not a "knowledge," that comes easily. Only intensive Torah learning and doing mitzvahs can achieve this knowledge. Every word of Torah we learn moves us just a little bit closer to that goal. And everyone is capable of that.

To learn more, read "The Knowing Heart," by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Feldheim.com). This entire book is an explanation of this verse!

In 350 BCE, the building of the second Holy Temple was completed in Jerusalem, as recorded in the biblical Book of Ezra (6:15). The re-building of the Temple had begun under Cyrus when the Persians first took over the Babylonian empire. The re-building was then interrupted for 18 years, and resumed with the blessing of Darius II, the Persian king whom is said to be the son of Esther. The Second Temple lacked much of the glory of the First Temple: There was no Ark of the Covenant, and the daily miracles and prophets were no longer part of the scenery. The Second Temple would stand for 420 years, before being destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.

You shall know this day and consider it within your heart(Deuteronomy 4:39).

Business people who are involved in many transactions employ accountants to analyze their operations and to determine whether or not they are profitable. They may also seek the help of experts to determine which products are making money and which are losing. Such studies allow them to maximize their profits and minimize their losses. Without such data, they might be doing a great deal of business, but discover at the end of the year that their expenditures exceeded their earnings.

Sensible people give at least as much thought to the quality and achievement of their lives as they do to their businesses. Each asks himself, "Where am I going with my life? What am I doing that is of value? In what ways am I gaining and improving? And which practices should I increase, and which should I eliminate?"

Few people make such reckonings. Many of those that do, do so on their own, without consulting an expert's opinion. These same people would not think of being their own business analysts and accountants, and they readily pay large sums of money to engage highly qualified experts in these fields.

Jewish ethical works urge us to regularly undergo cheshbon hanefesh, a personal accounting. We would be foolish to approach this accounting of our very lives with any less seriousness than we do our business affairs. We should seek out the "spiritual C.P.A.s," those who have expertise in spiritual guidance, to help us in our analyses.

Today I shall...

look for competent guidance in doing a personal moral inventory and in planning my future.

With stories and insights,
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